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What You Get From an Auto Accident Settlement


The amount you receive from a settlement for a car accident will depend on the degree of your injuries. More severe injuries will result in greater current and future medical costs.

Documenting your losses will help you maximize your settlement. Your lawyer will be able to compile a list of all relevant damages that includes doctors’ notes, wage documents and eyewitness testimony.

Medical bills

Medical expenses are usually the first thing people think about when injured in a car crash. Fortunately, the law usually covers these expenses in personal injury cases. However, it can take months or even years before the at-fault motorist is held accountable by a court decision or settlement agreement. In the meantime, victims accrue medical bills that have to be paid.

Injuries from car accidents typically require extensive medical attention that includes surgery as well as physical therapy. The medical bills that result can be very high. It is vital that the victims realize that they shouldn’t be required to pay the medical bills themselves following the crash. Instead the driver at fault should be held accountable for these costs as part of the settlement agreement for the accident.

In some cases, a party at fault may be responsible directly for the victim’s medical expenses. In other situations the victim’s health insurance, or med-pay policy will pay for these costs as they accumulate. Based on the situation of the victim and the type of insurance coverage, these bills can be covered under rolling claims.

In some cases hospitals or health insurance provider could create a lien against a portion of a settlement for a victim. An experienced lawyer can negotiate these liens to bring more money in the victim’s pockets.

Lost wages

A car crash can wreck destruction on your finances. In addition to medical expenses and property damage, you could be required to cover the cost of lost wages because of your injuries. New York law requires that your car insurance policy reimburse you for income loss up to a specific amount. Your attorney will fight to secure the entire amount of your lost wages.

Paystubs, as well as other wage documents are the most popular way to prove lost income. If you were self-employed, or worked on commissions, other relevant documents include profit-and-loss statements, receipts, invoices and bank statements, and finance-related correspondence. Correspondence from your employer which confirms the number of hours/days you missed work because of your injuries is also extremely important.

If you suffer from an injury that is permanent and reduces or limits the ability to earn, your lawyer will consult an economist or financial professional to determine your earning potential. In this type of case, the expert will review your education, age, training, credentials and career progression, as well as tasks that you can no longer carry out.

Our Syracuse car accident lawyers often represent clients who have been severely injured in accidents, and are not able to work. They are not only entitled to lost wages without fault, but could also get additional compensation from the at-fault driver’s or owner’s insurer.

Suffering and pain

Car accident victims deserve compensation for the emotional trauma and pain they endure after a collision. However, because emotional distress and physical pain can’t be captured in a photograph or documented using x-rays, insurance companies often deny these losses. This is why it is so important to have a professional personal injury attorney in your corner when dealing with the at-fault driver’s insurance.

Your Queens injury attorney can help you gather evidence that supports your claim. Medical bills and formal diagnoses, for instance, can be used to demonstrate the severity of victim’s injuries. auto accident attorneys carmel or journal that begins on the date of the accident and continues throughout recovery can also capture symptoms of emotional distress and physical discomfort.

The extent of your injuries could affect the amount you receive. A spinal cord injury or a serious head trauma, like, may result in a higher settlement than a minor sprain which heals in three weeks.

Your settlement for an auto accident will be affected by the value of your injuries. Your lawyer will assist you calculate your damages and build an argument that is strong enough to win the full amount you deserve. To find out more about the kinds of damages that may be awarded in a New York auto accident lawsuit Contact an experienced attorney.

Damages

As we’ve discussed earlier settlement awards are meant to compensate car accident victims for the financial loss they suffered. The amount awarded will depend on the severity of a victim’s injuries and the amount they’ve lost due to the absence from work and property damage.

In addition, an award will also include other damages that are not economic, like suffering and pain. Insurance companies employ a formula for calculating the amount to pay. These damages are difficult to quantify however they can be determined. To determine the amount to be paid for noneconomic damages, a multiplier will typically be determined by medical expenses. Injuries that are severe and permanent generally result in larger award amounts than minor or temporary injuries.

A car crash is a traumatic experience that can change your life. The amount of the settlement will not erase these losses but it can help victims overcome their financial difficulties and return to normal.

A skilled car accident lawyer will know how to assess your case and fight for the highest possible settlement. While it may seem appealing to accept a lower amount than you are entitled to, this could hinder your future recovery. You give up your right to sue or file additional claims for the accident once you sign the settlement agreement.